Man rescued from Arkansas River

Man rescued from Arkansas River

A man was rescued from the Arkansas River near Pine Bluff at about 3 a.m. Wednesday after being stranded when his boat lost power because of a mechanical problem on Tuesday.

Deputies located Jeremy Freyer, 28, in his boat on the river about a half mile from Lock and Dam Number 3 near U.S. 65 South, said Major Lafayette Woods Jr., spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Freyer’s father alerted authorities that his son was missing Tuesday night when he tried to reach him by cell phone but could not. His father assisted first responders in his own vessel until his boat ran out of gasoline. The officers then brought his father on board their boat while continuing to search for his son.

“We found Mr. Freyer in his boat, which he had tied to a concrete pillar,” Woods said. “Mr. Freyer was wearing a life preserver, was coherent and did not require medical attention.”

Strong thunderstorms had dropped heavy rains earlier this week, causing the Arkansas River to be turbulent.

“The Arkansas River waters were very high at the time,” Woods said. “We do not advise anyone boating or going into the water during times when the waters are rough.”

The Army Corps of Engineers issued a small craft advisory Tuesday for the Arkansas River from Conway downstream.

Small craft advisories are issued when flows exceed 70,000 cubic feet per second. Flows at Pine Bluff were about 89,000 c.f.s. when the craft advisory was issued Tuesday.